The man who is known to be here in what is called ‘a position to marry’ cannot be too careful in his selection of a wife. His easy circumstances are known among his circle of acquaintances are known among his circle of acquaintances and he naturally finds himself made much of by the feminine portion of the community. Clearly he is regarded as a matrimonial catch, and such prizes are few and far between, as any bright-eyed ready-to-wed damsel will admit readily enough.
A man thus happily circumstanced needs to be careful, otherwise he will find himself under the thumb of a fortune-hunting spouse, who simply ‘had’ him for his money, and who will never be satisfied until she has obtained possession of the lot.
Now, a fortune hunting man is bad enough, but a fortune hunting woman is one of the ugliest specimens of her sex- not ugly of person, perhaps, but oh! So very ugly of character.
In effect, when a man is led to propose her, she says, ‘Tell me what you are worth, and I’ll tell you whether I will accept you.’ Of course, she does not use just these words, but she manages to find out just the same.
When, however, a man is know to be ‘in a position to marry’ she is not even troubled to find out, for all the world knows he is well-to-do, and she knows it too.
A man, in a position to marry should never single out any one girl in particular as an object for his attention. Rather should he seek safety in numbers, and look cautiously around him, ere he commit himself to the tender mercies of a member of the so-called gentle sex, whose members alas! Are not all gentlewomen.
Sometimes a man is led to suppose he has come across his affinity, and devotes his attentions so exclusively to the lady that the comment of others is called forth, and people to whom both are known look upon him as her property. Perhaps he subsequently regrets his too hastily formed impression, finding her on closer acquaintance not all he fancied, and desires to stand on less intimate terms with regard to the lady, but finds it no easy matter to do so without becoming discourteous.
Many a man having thus compromised the lady has felt it impossible to withdraw from his engagement without holding her up to the ridicule of the world, and so has married her, though he has long since discovered that she is not the best calculated to make him happy.
Some women have a way of appropriating a man and constituting him in a measure, their property, and especially in this attitude assumed towards the man in a position to marry. Therefore, let him beware of the ladies. If he would not find himself married to the wrong one.
Cynius.